Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt

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Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt (23 October 1919 – 14 May 1995^[1]) was a Colombian sculptor. At the time of his death in 1995 he was recognized as one of the most important sculptors in Colombia and Latin America.^[1] Most of the major cities in Colombia have statues sculpted by Arenas Betancourt.^{[citation needed]}

Arenas Betancourt died on 14 May 1995 in the municipality of Caldas, located in the southern end of the Valley of Aburrá and part of the Medellín Metropolitan Area.^[1]

His bronze statues are characterized by their enormous proportions and dramatic expression.^[1]

Examples of his artwork are:

• Naked Bolívar in Pereira
• Monumento a la Raza, bronze and concrete, 38 m height, located in La Alpujarra Administrative Center in Medellín
• Sculptural Complex Vargas Swamp Lancers near Paipa is the largest sculpture in Colombia.
• Monument to Effort in Armenia
• Monument to the Marching Revolution in Valledupar
• Monument to the founders in Bogotá (installed 1965)^[2]
• Statue of Simón Bolívar in Bogotá (installed 1963)^[2]

Additionally to sculpture, Arenas Betancourt worked in printmaking and book illustration.^[3]